There are a wide variety of techniques and procedures to provide an individual with a fuller or longer appearing head of hair. In describing the invention and methods of supplementing natural hair growth, the natural hair growing on the head of an individual will be referred to as “scalp hair”, also medically designated as capillus or capilli. The simplest approach is to apply a wig or add hair pieces such as pony tails, braids or wefts. A permanent procedure is the use of hair plugs which are surgically implanted. A temporary method suitable for longer periods of time is to sew or weave strands of natural hair or synthetic hair replacements into normal hair growing on the scalp. Alternatively, hair extensions may be adhesively secured to the scalp or hair growing from the scalp. A still further method is to use small clamps or clips for the attachment of strands or bundles of hair, referred to as a hair extensions, to multiple strands of scalp hair.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,387 shows the use of a thermoplastic glue, U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,745 discloses use of a hot melt adhesive, U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,298 uses a contact adhesive, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,145 uses a liquid latex along with a cyanoacrylate adhesive, U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,736 and US Published Applications 2002/0185146, 2001/0035192 and 2001/0037813 each disclose a self adhesive tape for attaching an extension or multiple extensions to the scalp. U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,867 describes the use of a thermosetting adhesive in combination with a heat shrinkable tubing. These techniques require the use of heat and/or solvents to reverse the attachment process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,761 describes a method of attaching hair extensions which first requires securing anchors to multiple strands of hair attached to the scalp, forming the hair extensions into a single wide hair piece with an upper weave portion an attaching that weave portion to the anchors.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,846 describes the attachment of hair extensions to strands of knotted, scalp hair using heat shrinkable tubes. The hair is first knotted to form an enlarged portion that is readily trapped in the tubing after heat is applied to cause shrinking of the tubing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,530 to Taintinger describes a process for attaching hair extensions to scalp hair which comprises using a clamping tool to temporarily clamp loose strands of a hair extension to gathered strands of hair near the scalp, placing the combined hair extension and scalp hair strands through a threading loop and then pulling that combination through a straight cylindrical sleeve. The hair extension and scalp hair are then trapped in the sleeve by crushing the cylindrical sleeve first into a U or V shape, with the bottom of the U or V extending along the length of the cylindrical sleeve (parallel to the hair strands), to loosely grasp the strands, sliding the sleeve along the strands until it is close to the scalp and then further folding the sleeve over on itself (i.e. folding the sleeve in half longitudinally) thus compressing the U or V shape, trapping the hair strands within the crushed, folded sleeve. Special pliers which includes a U or V shaped groove in one face and a matching anvil shaped extension in the other face of the plier jaws are used to form the tube into the desired hollow U or V configuration with the hair within the reshaped hollow cylinder. Another portion of the plier jaws is then used to complete the formation of the folded U or V shaped cylinder. To undo the process (remove the hair extension) the pointed tips of the pliers are used to unfold the folded U or V, releasing the compressive forces on the scalp hair and hair extension.
Each of the techniques disclosed in these referenced documents have problems in use and speed of application which are addressed by the current invention. The use of adhesives and the heat or chemicals described in previous published procedures required to attach or remove the hair extensions can be damaging to the natural hair and scalp. In addition, the adhesive materials also retain dirt and natural skin oils making them difficult to maintain in a clean manner. Heat shrinkable tubes are difficult to remove, particularly when the hair requires knotting and may necessitate cutting the natural hair to remove the extensions. Other tubular attachment means require additional tools for mounting the extensions and may be difficult and very time consuming for an individual to apply and remove.
Therefore, there is a need for a simple, fast and easy application technique for adding hair extensions. The devices and procedure embodying features of the present invention meet these needs.